Refuge Prayer
by Thich Nhat Hanh
by Thich Nhat Hanh
At the foot of the Bodhi tree,
At the foot of the Bodhi tree,
beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling,
beautifully seated, peaceful and smiling,
the living source of understanding and compassion,
the living source of understanding and compassion,
to the Buddha I go for refuge.
to the Buddha I go for refuge.
The path of mindful living,
The path of mindful living,
leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment,
leading to healing, joy, and enlightenment,
the way of peace,
the way of peace,
to the Dhamma I go for refuge.
to the Dhamma I go for refuge.
The loving and supportive community of practice,
The loving and supportive community of practice,
realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation,
realizing harmony, awareness, and liberation,
to the Sangha I go for refuge.
to the Sangha I go for refuge.
I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart.
I am aware that the Three Gems are within my heart.
I vow to realize them.
I vow to realize them.
I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling,
I vow to practice mindful breathing and smiling,
looking deeply into things.
looking deeply into things.
I vow to understand living beings and their suffering,
I vow to understand living beings and their suffering,
to cultivate compassion and loving kindness,
to cultivate compassion and loving kindness,
and to practice joy and equanimity.
and to practice joy and equanimity.
I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning
I vow to offer joy to one person in the morning
and to help relive the grief of one person in the afternoon.
and to help relive the grief of one person in the afternoon.
I vow to live simply and sanely,
I vow to live simply and sanely,
content with just a few possessions,
content with just a few possessions,
and to keep my body healthy.
and to keep my body healthy.
I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free.
I vow to let go of all worry and anxiety in order to be light and free.
I am aware that I owe so much
I am aware that I owe so much
to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings.
to my parents, teachers, friends and all beings.
I vow to be worthy of their trust,
I vow to be worthy of their trust,
to practice wholeheartedly,
to practice wholeheartedly,
so that understanding and compassion will flower,
so that understanding and compassion will flower,
and I can help living beings
and I can help living beings
be free from their suffering.
be free from their suffering.
May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts.
May the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha support my efforts.